How ‘forgotten ruins’ in South Australlia became a grey nomad haven— by Noel Whittaker

Noel Whittaker is the author of Wills, Death & Taxes Made Simple and numerous other books on personal finance. Email: [email protected]

Farina? You’ve probably never heard of the place. For years, I’ve been deep in the world of finance, helping folks build wealth for their golden years. But let me tell you, money in the bank is one thing; waking up with a spring in your step because you’ve got a reason to get out of bed is another. I came face-to-face with this not in some big city office but in a place that, on the map, you might mistake for nothing more than a dot: Farina, a town in the South Australian outback.



It was an accidental discovery. We’d set off on an expedition through the Flinders Ranges to see the camel races at Marree, 500 kilometres southwest of Birdsville. But, as luck would have it, the area was hit by an unseasonal deluge. With the races cancelled, we were stranded in Marree for three days.


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What was once a bakery in Farina. Image Credit: Shutterstock



Of course, we needed coffee, but we soon discovered Marree was the wrong place to find it. Luckily, our team leader came to the rescue. He told us about a hidden gem nearby: Farina—a great place for coffee and food and exactly what we needed.

After a short drive, we passed through the gates of a vast property and discovered what looked like a deserted village. It was filled with beautiful stone buildings, most of which were in ruins, many roofless. But everywhere we looked, there were caravans, and outside the coffee shop, long queues of people waited.



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